Chenxing Niu

Botany and Plant Pathology

Chenxing (Esther) Niu is a PhD student with Dr. Charles Woloshuk studying the molecular regulation of fumonisin biosynthesis.Fumonisins are produced by Fusarium verticillioides in disease corn kernels, and these mycotoxins pose a health risk to livestock and humans.Esther’s research is focused on the transporter-like geneFST1. Deletion of this gene in F. verticillioides causes defects in secondary metabolism (fumonisin production), cell wall structure, conidiogenesis, virulence, and resistance to reactive oxygen species.Her objectives are to: compare the transcriptomes of the wild type and FST1 mutant strain (Δfst1) during colonization of corn kernels; determine the importance of amino acids in the central loop and c-terminus regions of FST1; and characterize FST1 function when expressed in yeast (Saccharomyces cerevisiae) system. Results from this research will provide new basic knowledge about the function of a gene critical for fumonisin production.Expected graduation: May 2016